Number of issues remain unsolved for Government in wake of Shatter resignation
What did it for Alan Shatter was the political reality, that he had become the dead weight pulling the Government down and would have to be cut loose before dragging it into another period of damaging headlines.
A much-anticipated report will be published today by barrister Sean Guerin which examines how Mr Shatter — as justice minister — and his department handled claims of malpractice in the gardaí which they received from a whistleblower, Sergeant Maurice McCabe, at least two years ago.
Whether there is one explosive finding in relation to Mr Shatter and how he dealt with the allegations or whether it was just one final straw that broke the camel’s back will be revealed today.
A further round of controversy — great or small — would have been too much for the Coalition parties to sustain, particularly with just two weeks to go before the local and European elections.
Having stood firmly behind him through a range of controversies, supporting his eagerness to play down serious matters and to dismiss concerns raised, it is hard to see how Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, and their parties can be spared the consequences of the lingering public anger over his actions.
While Mr Kenny can claim he acted decisively in setting up a range of inquiries examining matters — including the one that reports today — he will be left somewhat damaged by his willing to follow his minister’s lead on issues when they first arose.
Labour will pay a bigger price for its failure to demand higher levels of accountability from Mr Shatter. The party will no doubt be reminded that it took a Fine Gael minister — Leo Varadkar — to instigate the chain of events that led to an apology for Mr McCabe.
Frances Fitzgerald’s calm and straightforward demeanour make her a good choice to take over the department that has been at the centre of a number of storms for a long time.
In her first outing as justice minister, Ms Fitzgerald signalled a much-needed change of direction, promising a “new era and new culture” to restore confidence in policing.
She struck the appropriate tone when she paid tribute to the whistleblowers whose actions ultimately brought about the resignation of her predecessor, pledging “we have to listen to critics in the system”.
While Ms Fitzgerald has asserted herself as someone very different, the Coalition will still find it hard to move forward while a range of issues are unresolved and questions left unanswered.
There are a number of outstanding inquiries or reports on issues relating to justice and policing issues, and another which is likely to be announced over the coming days.
An investigation by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission into the widespread cancellation of penalty points by senior members of the force is under way. The probewas announced by Mr Shatter after two previous Garda reports were seen as not adequately dealing with concerns about the cancellation of points.
Another report is expected to be published in the coming days by retired High Court judge John Cooke, who was looking at claims that GSOC was bugged and suspicions that gardaí were behind the surveillance.
The broader Fennelly inquiry will look at the practice of recording phone calls that were made in and out of Garda stations over the past 30 years, as well as garda handling of the investigation into the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
And the Oireachtas Justice Committee is to begin hearings before the summer recess on the establishment of an independent Garda authority, following a public consultation.
The first thing Ms Fitzgerald must handle, however, is today’s Guerin report examining how her department handled allegations of garda misconduct.
A transcript which emerged in February between Sgt McCabe and the confidential recipient, Oliver Connolly, who was subsequently sacked by Mr Shatter, shows that these cases were raised at least as far back as February 2012.
A letter in the possession of Independent TD Clare Daly from December 2012 also shows the Department of Justice referring to 12 allegations, saying 11 had already been thoroughly investigated by the assistant commissioner.
Today’s report is likely to show what the department knew, what the minister knew, and what they did or did not do about it.
The Taoiseach told the Dáil this week that the report is “hard-hitting” and finds “inadequacies” by the department, the minister, and the force in dealing with Sgt McCabe’s claims.
There are also questions outstanding about whether the former Garda commissioner, Martin Callinan, was forced from office for political reasons. Something that the Coalition has failed to address the scandal.
It is a poor reflection on the Government that there are lingering accusations — from senior gardaí, the opposition, and sources close to Mr Callinan himself — that he was effectively sacked to save political face.
The accusations focus not on Mr Shatter but on Mr Kenny, who has failed to fully explain why he sent the secretary general of the Department of Justice, Brian Purcell, to Mr Callinan’s house the night before his resignation.
In a Dáil speech on April 15, Mr Gilmore indicated his dissatisfaction with how it was dealt, saying Mr Callinan’s resignation was “a matter of great consequence” but neither he nor his party ever really pushed the issue.
Mr Shatter might be gone from office, but the controversies he has left behind are far from forgotten.
